Widespread support for the bullied

One of those things that sat around for the last week was a report on Spirit Day. This was something started just last year and promoted this year by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Participants were asked to wear purple that day, which was last Thursday, chosen because it is the "spirit" color in the gay rainbow flag (each color has a quality associated with it, sorry I can't name them). The color was worn to support gay youth who are still being bullied. I wore my purple sweater as I taught class.

There were a lot of people and institutions supporting Spirit Day. Some are gay-friendly celebrities and brand names. Most are middle and high school students. There are even a few churches. All the anchors on Good Morning America wore purple. They weren't the only TV hosts. Companies such as Viacom, Facebook, Delta, Pepsi, and AT&T encouraged their employees to wear purple. Even the LAX airport lights were purple. All good to see.



One of the things conservatives trumpet is that nothing shall come between a parent and his/her children. A parent knows best. Except if the parent is dealing with sexual minority children. Then the parent doesn't know a thing and can't be trusted to do what's right.



Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend says Herman Cain, currently ahead in polls of GOP prez. candidates, is acting like a minstrelsy tap dancer. He's spouting off the worst of the black stereotypes to make the racist whites controlling the party's money think he's one of them. Pam (who is black) says it is downright offensive.



Pat Robertson said the GOP is become too extreme. Jon Stewart notes it isn't that Robertson (who has said some pretty extreme things, which Stewart documents) thinks the GOP extremists are wrong. The problem Robertson has is that if the GOP candidates say too much of it they'll lose the general election.